Shloka 1

Saṃsāra-cakra, Preta’s 12-day Transit to Yama, Re-embodiment, and Karma-Vipāka Catalog of Sins and Rebirths

Devanagari script

चतुर्विंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / आध्यात्मिकादितापांस्त्रीञ्ज्ञात्व संस्राचक्रवित् / उत्पन्नज्ञानवैराग्यः प्राप्नोत्यात्यन्तिकं लयम्

Transliteration

caturviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / ādhyātmikāditāpāṃstrīñjñātva saṃsrācakravit / utpannajñānavairāgyaḥ prāpnotyātyantikaṃ layam

Translation

Chapter 225 begins. Sūta said: Knowing the three kinds of afflictions—beginning with the inner (ādhyātmika)—and understanding the wheel of saṃsāra, one in whom knowledge and dispassion (vairāgya) have arisen attains the final, absolute dissolution—liberation.

Word by Word

• चतुर्विंशत्यधिकद्विशततमः: the 224th
• चतुर्विंशत्यधिकद्विशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विंशति + अधिक + द्विशत + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-समासः (ordinal): “द्विशततमः” (200th) + “चतुर्विंशत्यधिक” (with 24 added) → 224th; विशेषण “अध्यायः”

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आध्यात्मिक: spiritual/internal
• आध्यात्मिक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आध्यात्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण “तापान्” (internal/spiritual)

• आदि: etc./and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे/आद्यार्थे (etc., beginning with)

• तापान्: afflictions
• तापान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण “तापान्”

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) “having known”

• संसारचक्रवित्: knower of the cycle of saṃsāra
• संसारचक्रवित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारचक्र + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: “संसारचक्रं वेत्ति” इति (knower of the cycle of transmigration)

• उत्पन्नज्ञानवैराग्यः: one whose knowledge and dispassion have arisen
• उत्पन्नज्ञानवैराग्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पन्न + ज्ञान + वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—“यस्मिन् ज्ञानं वैराग्यं च उत्पन्ने स्तः” (one in whom knowledge and dispassion have arisen)

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः प्र-

• आत्यन्तिकम्: ultimate/absolute
• आत्यन्तिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्यन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण “लयम्”

• लयम्: dissolution/absorption
• लयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Knowing the three tāpas (ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika) and the saṃsāra-cakra gives rise to jñāna and vairāgya, leading to atyantika laya (final liberation).

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha-darśana as a spur to mumukṣutva; jñāna-vairāgya as proximate means; ‘laya’ read as mokṣa (cessation of bondage) rather than mere cosmic dissolution.

Application: Name and observe the three sources of distress in daily life; cultivate vairāgya by seeing their repetitive nature; commit to study, reflection, and steady practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: assembly/śravaṇa-sabhā

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.225.2 (promise to explain saṃsāra-cakra from death onward); Garuda Purana 1.224.10-12 (cosmic dissolution/creation as backdrop for detachment)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

What is the importance of the threefold suffering (tāpa-traya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames liberation as beginning with clear insight into the three afflictions—inner, worldly, and divine/elemental—because recognizing their inevitability in saṃsāra generates the urgency for spiritual knowledge and detachment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It presents a direct sequence: understand the mechanics of saṃsāra (the repeating cycle of birth and suffering) → knowledge (jñāna) arises → detachment (vairāgya) stabilizes → one reaches ‘ātyantika laya,’ the final cessation of bondage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe how suffering arises from body-mind, environment, and uncontrollable forces; then cultivate study, reflection, and disciplined detachment—reducing compulsive desire and strengthening a liberation-oriented life.